European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 15, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse The Rev. . Newnham Speaks to survivors and family members during a ceremony last month in Balaclava Bay with their boats tied wave of sadness 5 decades later of gathered on the shores of Weymouth Harbor As a Convoy of five ferries carried . Veterans of exercise Tiger out to sea for a memorial service dedicated to those who did not survive the Man Euver. The Man Euver in preparation for a Day include cd a Convoy of eight lists tank Landing Craft that were ambushed by nine German a boats on april 28,1944,15 Miles Southwest of Weymouth Harbor. Three of the ships were hit by torpedoes and 749 men were killed thirteen veterans from the states boarded the ferries in Weymouth on the 50th anniversary of the incident. They were joined by several . Veterans of exercise Tiger who settled in England after the War. Manny Rubin a . Veteran who settled in Plymouth England and who did the initial planning for the memorial service was Able to attend in spirit Only. Rubin died six weeks prior to the commemoration at age 71. His ashes were escorted out to sea by his son Dave Rubin and his two daughters Diane Rubin and Jody Barnes who gave their father a sea burial. Manny Rubin was a chief Petty officer of signals on list 496. A the Manny Rubin always wanted to be with his shipmates a Dave Rubin said. A that was his last the ferry Convoy sailed first to nearby Balaclava Bay where four of the boats were tied together. The fifth ferry with the Rev. . Newnham of the rectory Chickerell Weymouth and Rubin a children was harnessed broadside against the other boats for the Short service. The veterans most of whom were in their 70s, climbed to the Center two ferries to stand As a close knit group during the service a we arc Here to commemorate what happened in this area 50 years ago Quot Newnham said. A we arc Here to remember not just those who died but also those whose lives were dramatically the boats then set sail into the English Channel where they formed a semicircle around the burial ferry two wreaths one in memory of the men who died in exercise Tiger and one in memory of Manny Rubin were placed on the water. Veterans on one of the ferries gave Dave Rubin a Quot thumbs up As he opened the urn containing Manny Rubin sashes. The Young Man responded with a Salute and slowly emptied his fathers ashes into the Channel. A fog Horn sounded in the distance. A the Manny Rubin was a real Patriot a Dave Rubin a Rubin a children said their father had nightmares about exercise Tiger periodically throughout his adult life. He would awake in the night from images of bodies floating in the wat Ltd As far As the Eye could see they said. Barnes said her father who was kind to everyone and had an enormous sense of humor was Able to get some of his own Back six or seven years ago when one of the a boats that torpedoed the exercise Tiger Convoy sailed into port. Her father was invited to attend a ceremony on the ship. Instead a the walked up to the boat and kicked it a Barnes said. Ten years ago Manny Rubin wrote an afterwards for a Book about exercise Tiger the forgotten dead by Ken Small. These were his thoughts a the attack was sudden and unexpected. The a boats torpedoes struck viciously again and again. Their deck firing was devastating and cruelly Beautiful sending up arching incendiary colors. We could feel the screams of our comrades in the burning water astern. We Shook with fear and anger. Why were we so helpless and unprotected Why were we dying so horribly in these lonely cold faraway Waters a Nancy l. Torn Ardeath and confusion i he morning that German a boats torpedoed three other ships in Gene Vallire s Convoy during exercise Tiger was More emotional for him than any other event of world War ii. A it was a flotilla of kids out of Boot Camp a a said Vallire 68, of Rhode Island. A it was our first combat and seeing All the fire and the ships going Down. I lost friends on the other Vallire who was a ships cock Swain on list 49 a was Only 17 years old at the time and the oldest men in the convey were Only about 24, he said. In the confusion of the attack Vallieres boat fired on list 511, wounding 19 people. A it was a big screw up a Vallire said. This is the first time Val Liere has been in England since the War. A you want to see what it looks like 50 years later a Vallire said. A a it san Opportunity for Guys like me to remember Quot not every memory that has been sparked by gallic re a return has been entirely bad he said. For instance on d-plus-5, Vallire s list hit a mine. While everyone else was abandoning ship he returned to quarters to Rescue his trumpet. The trumpet Case suffered extensive water damage but when Vallire filed a damage claim with the Navy he was told there was nothing that could be done about it. However As a favor someone in the claims office had a new Case made for Vallire. It was fashioned from Wood and included As Many salvageable parts from the damaged Case As possible. A i still have the Case a Vallire said. Vallire was amazed at the versatility of an list. A the invasion could never have happened without a Nancy l. Torner Gene Vulli arc May 15, 1994 sunday a Page 5
